Every summer you’ll find my children and I searching nearby fields for milkweed and the beautiful Monarch caterpillars that feed on it. We take a few home with us and “raise” them (which basically just requires feeding them a lot of milkweed leaves
) until they form their chrysalises. Then, around 10-14 days later beautiful Monarch butterflies will emerge from the chrysalis and we set them free.
Last summer I was able to capture a Monarch forming it’s chrysalis and later emerging. Both events happen so quickly that they are easily missed, so I literally had to sit and stare at the Monarch for several hours. There are clues which let you know the day these changes will happen, but only within a few hours, not moments.
This summer we were able to watch another Monarch break free of it’s chrysalis. And this summer I have a much loved macro lens, so I was able to really catch the details of the process.
I hope you enjoy these!
“The butterfly counts not months but moments…and has time enough.” Rabindranath Tagore
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